LOGIN"Sure, Damian. Is there an issue with my reports?"
"No, your work is excellent. I just need a signature on your updated insurance forms," he said, sliding the folder over.
I let out a breath of relief, reaching for my pen.
As I leaned down to sign, Damian spoke in a casual tone—but loud enough for Maya, Stella, and half the floor to hear.
"By the way, Evelyn. I wanted to say congratulations."
My hand stopped mid-stroke. I looked up, confused. "Congratulation
"You are my future, Evelyn!"His voice cracked like a whip, sharp and commanding. He stood up, closing the distance between us in two strides. He grabbed my shoulders, his grip firm but careful."Listen to me. Careers are replaceable. Money is just numbers. But seeing you heal, seeing you actually smile again like you did yesterday... that’s everything. I’m not being a martyr. I’m being a man who knows what’s actually worth keeping.""That's exactly why it’s wrong!" I snapped back, a tear escaping. "You think I can be happy knowing you sacrificed your soul for my comfort? No, Jovan. I’ll spend every day feeling like a weight around your neck. I’ll feel like the person who clipped your wings.""I have never, not for one second, seen you as a weight.""Then prove it!" I looked him dead in the eye, my gaze burning through the tears. "Love is about building something together, not one person shrinking so the other can grow. If you stop flying because o
POV: Evelyn ReeveThe digital clock on the corner of my monitor flickered. 4:45 p.m.In the Meridian Miami building, this was the hour of the exodus. The sound of rolling chairs and the rhythmic thrum of the elevator became the soundtrack of freedom for everyone else. For me, it was a countdown.Every second felt like a heavy stone being added to a pile in my chest.I spent the afternoon playing a role. I laughed when Maya made a snarky comment about a difficult client. I nodded when Stella talked about her weekend plans in the Keys. I even managed a convincing smile every time Jovan walked past my desk or sent a quick text asking if I’d had enough water.On the surface, I was the picture of corporate composure.Underneath the desk, my heels were drumming a frantic rhythm against the carpet. My mind was a storm of jagged thoughts—revolving around a declined email and a brilliant future in London that Jovan had just set on fire.For me
Noelle’s voice wavered slightly."He torched his dream career to keep you comfortable, Ev. To make sure you kept your 'home' and your friends here."It felt like a jagged rock had been shoved into my chest. The guilt I thought I’d conquered came roaring back with ten times the force.I stared at Jovan’s office door through a blur of tears. Behind that door was a man who smiled at me every single morning. A man who brought me coffee. A man who shielded me from the wreckage of my past.A man who had just set fire to his own future for the sake of mine."Ev? You still there?" Noelle asked, sounding worried.I wiped my eyes aggressively with the back of my hand. "Yeah... I'm here. I heard you.""Look, I’m telling you this not to make you feel guilty or to make you break up with him," she added quickly, as if reading my spiraling thoughts. "I’m telling you so you understand how much he loves you. Don't be mad at him for hiding it. Just tal
POV: Evelyn ReeveTime has a strange way of healing things here at Meridian Miami. The days that used to feel like a slow crawl through a minefield have shifted into a rhythm I actually look forward to.It’s been two weeks since the storm finally broke. No more Archer lurking in the shadows of my mind. No more of Chloe’s toxic, sharp-tongued side-eyes in the breakroom. The office on the tenth floor has started to feel less like a corporate cage and more like a second home.Every morning follows a sweet, deliberate pattern.Jovan picks me up—sometimes we take his car, other times we walk the few blocks if the Miami heat isn't too oppressive. There’s always a vanilla cold brew waiting on my desk before I even arrive. We don't hide our lunch dates anymore. We just go.Maya and Stella have officially given up on teasing us. The sight of Jovan stopping by my desk just to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear or drop off a small bar of dark chocolate h
Jovan watched me eat with a look of quiet satisfaction. I knew he had no regrets about that rejected email to the London office. Not when he could sit here and watch me finally enjoy a meal without looking over my shoulder."Oh, by the way," Jovan said after a sip of his iced tea. "My mother called again this morning."I stopped mid-bite, my eyes widening. "Odette? What did she say? Please tell me she isn't asking about grand-kids already."Jovan laughed so hard he nearly choked. "No, we haven't reached that level of interrogation yet. She just wanted to know how you were. She kept asking, 'Where is that sweet Evelyn? Why hasn't she hopped on a FaceTime call lately?' She misses talking to you."A flush of warmth spread across my cheeks. Being accepted by his family was a concept that used to feel impossible, a dream I had given up on with Archer’s family. Now, it felt so natural."Tell her I said hi," I murmured, feeling shy but happy. "And t
POV: Evelyn ReeveThe desk calendar in front of Maya was currently the most important document in the building. Three heads—mine, Maya’s, and Stella’s—were huddled over it like we were plotting a heist.In a way, we were. We were planning a getaway from the relentless grind of corporate Florida."Look at this," Maya whispered, her eyes gleaming behind her glasses as she tapped a Friday on the next month's page. "It’s a holiday. If we take that Friday off, we’ve got a three-day weekend. Total bliss."Stella took a slow sip of her coffee, her expression unreadable but her nod approving. "I’m in. The workload has been manageable since the last audit. Where are we thinking? A drive down to Key West? Or maybe we charter a boat to the Bahamas?"I leaned my chin on my palm, a genuine smile tugging at my lips. For the first time in months, the idea of a future didn’t feel like a heavy weight."The Baha
POV: Evelyn ReeveThe Miami sun was already doing its best to bleach the asphalt by the time Shae’s SUV pulled up to the Meridian Miami building. The glass facade of the office reflected the turquoise glint of the Atlantic, looking far more inviting than it had any right to be.I re
POV: Evelyn ReeveI stayed facedown on the mattress for a long time, my face buried in a silk pillow to stifle the remnants of a frustrated groan. My breathing was finally returning to a steady rhythm, but my heart? My heart was a frantic metronome, skipping beats every time Jovan’s voice
POV: EvelynThe roar of Jovan’s Triumph finally cut out, leaving a ringing silence in the humid night air. He’d pulled up right in front of Shae’s place, the bike idling for a second before the world went quiet.I slid off the leather seat a little too quickly. My legs felt like jel
POV: JovanThe office parking lot was eerily quiet this afternoon—at least, it felt that way to me. The humid Florida air hung heavy, but every step I took felt strangely light, fueled by a surge of adrenaline I hadn't felt in years.Behind me, I could hear the soft rhythm of Evelyn







