CelesteI barely had time to let my words sink in before Adrian’s face contorted in fury. His eyes darkened with a dangerous storm, and suddenly, he lunged forward, grabbing my arm with a harshness that made a sharp, burning sting race through my side.“Enough!” I gasped, instinctively trying to wrench myself free, but his grip tightened like iron, pulling me closer. Panic flared hot and fast in my chest.Before I could fully react, a heavy hand crashed into Adrian’s back, sending him stumbling forward, off balance.“Let her go, asshole.”The voice was low, raw with anger and authority. I turned just in time to see Nicolas step between us, his eyes dark and fierce, jaw clenched tight like a steel trap. His presence was like a shield—a promise I wasn’t alone.Tristan followed right behind, tall and imposing, his calm a stark contrast to the tension thickening the air.Adrian snarled, spinning around to face Nicolas with a venomous glare. “This is none of your business.”“It is now,” Ni
Celeste The cafeteria noise buzzed around me like a distant storm, but inside, my senses were sharp, raw, and unrelenting. Every nerve in my body screamed that I was on the edge of something breaking—something I wasn’t sure I wanted to hold together anymore. I could still feel it—the way Sebastian’s presence had filled the office, thick and impossible to ignore. The way his body had pressed so close to mine, close enough that I could’ve counted the freckles on his cheek if I’d dared look. His breath had been warm against my skin, and his lips—God, his lips—had hovered inches from mine, soft, inviting, like a whispered promise. That closeness made the air around me feel smaller, suffocating almost, like the world had contracted until it was just the two of us—no coworkers, no whispered rumors, no impossible boundaries. He’s jealous. Damn, he’s jealous. The thought should’ve ignited anger—how dare he, how dare I—but instead, it tangled me up in a way I hadn’t expected. It pulled me
CelesteThe hallway outside the elevator stretched long and quiet, but my mind felt anything but. Sebastian’s words echoed relentlessly in my head, like a storm barely contained beneath the calm. Why do I feel jealous with him around? The raw honesty, the unspoken feelings beneath that simple statement—everything between us had shifted, but nothing had changed.I pressed my palm against the cool wall, trying to steady the rapid beat of my heart. My phone buzzed in my pocket, jolting me out of the swirl of thoughts. A message from Ava: “Lunch today? We need to catch up. I want to hear everything.” The timing couldn’t be more perfect—or worse.I glanced back toward the elevator doors Sebastian had just disappeared through, a complicated knot twisting tighter in my chest.I carefully placed my bag and folders on my desk, the soft thud echoing in the quiet office. Before settling into my chair, I pulled up Sebastian’s schedule on my laptop, scanning the day’s meetings and calls. There we
CelesteI stepped into the elevator lobby, the low hum of conversation buzzing around me like a distant storm, barely audible but impossible to ignore. The polished marble floors reflected the overhead lights in soft pools, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered faintly in the air. Sebastian was already there, standing near the far wall with that calm, unreadable expression he always wore at work. His posture was relaxed, hands tucked casually into his pockets, but his presence was like a silent anchor—steady and unavoidable. The way he stood, so still and confident, made the air around him feel charged, as if something was quietly simmering beneath the surface.As I waited for the elevator, I couldn’t help but notice the small whispers around me, the quick glances exchanged between the other employees. Rumors, of course. The usual rumors. Why was Sebastian greeting me this morning? Had I really resigned, as some had said? The curiosity in their eyes felt like a subtle weight
CelesteThe faint gray of early morning bled through the guest room curtains, soft and cold, the kind of light that made everything feel muted — like the world was holding its breath. My eyes blinked open slowly, reluctant. The air smelled faintly of cedar and something warmer, richer — him.I sat up, pulse catching when I remembered exactly whose guest room I was in.Sebastian’s.The thought alone made last night crawl back into my mind — the words, the way his voice had lowered, the heat in his eyes right before it all… stopped.I pushed the blanket away and swung my feet to the floor, my socks muffling every movement. The house was silent. No footsteps, no clinking cups from the kitchen, no sign that he was awake. I could have lingered — maybe even wanted to — but the thought of seeing him again before I’d steadied myself felt dangerous.I crept through the hall, my hand brushing the smooth banister as I made my way downstairs. The living room was still littered with the faint trac
CelesteHe ran a hand through his hair, gaze dropping to the untouched cup between his palms. “Do you ever feel like there’s something missing?” he asked quietly, voice almost lost in the hum of the kitchen light.I blinked, unsure if he meant it as a rhetorical question. “Missing?”Sebastian nodded slowly. “Like… you’re walking through life fine, functioning, doing everything you’re supposed to. But there’s a gap somewhere. Like a part of your story just—got erased.”There was a roughness to his voice that hadn’t been there before.I didn’t answer. I waited.“I got into an accident,” he said finally, his voice low. “A year ago. They told me I was lucky it wasn’t worse, but... I lost some things.”He tapped the side of his head gently. “Memories. Not all of them. Just—some.” He let out a dry, hollow laugh. “Selective amnesia, they called it.”My stomach twisted.“I don’t even know what I forgot,” he added, looking straight ahead like he couldn’t bear to meet my eyes. “That’s the messe