MasukThey stayed like that for a long time.Neither of them wanted to be the first to let go.Eventually, Estella pulled back first, wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks with the sleeve of her cardigan. She laughed softly, embarrassed."...I must look terrible."Aizen studied her for a second before shaking his head."No.""You look honest."She let out an amused sigh."I don't know whether that's a compliment.""It is."A small smile returned to her lips.The heaviness between them had eased, if only a little.Aizen reached for the lunch boxes again."The soup is getting cold."Estella chuckled."So that's your priority?""I spent money on it.""It would be a waste."She laughed louder this time."There it is."He looked at her."What?""Your real personality.""The CEO who hates wasting money.""I don't hate wasting money.""You definitely do.""I prefer efficiency.""That's just a rich person's way of saying you're stingy."Aizen raised an eyebrow."You've become very bold during
For a while, neither of them spoke.The apartment was filled only with the quiet clink of cutlery and the faint hum of the air conditioner.Outside, the afternoon sun poured through the balcony windows, warming the wooden floor with streaks of soft light.Estella ate slowly.Not because she wasn't hungry.Because her mind kept wandering somewhere she shouldn't let it go.Across from her, Aizen noticed."You've been staring at the same piece of salmon for almost a minute."Estella blinked and looked down at her plate."...Have I?""You have."She smiled awkwardly before taking another bite."I'm just tired."Aizen watched her for another moment.Then, almost absentmindedly, he reached across the table.The back of his hand brushed gently against her cheek.Estella froze.His palm lingered just long enough to feel the warmth of her skin."No fever," he murmured."But you still look exhausted."She turned to him, startled by the casual intimacy of the gesture."What are you doing?""Chec
By the time Lionel left for work, the apartment had fallen quiet again.The front door clicked shut.His footsteps faded down the hallway.Then there was only silence.Estella stood in the middle of the living room for a moment, letting herself breathe.No meetings.No emails.No board members.No reporters.No pretending.She wrapped both hands around the warm mug of honey tea Lionel had insisted she finish before he left. It had already gone lukewarm, but she drank it anyway.She wandered toward the balcony.Morning sunlight spilled across the wooden deck, washing the small space in a soft golden glow. A few weeks ago, she had filled it with potted plants, hanging vines, and a pair of wicker chairs she had impulsively bought online.It was the first place that had ever felt like hers.She lowered herself into one of the chairs.Across the courtyard, Aizen's balcony remained empty.The curtains were drawn.He was already at Valcor.A faint smile touched her lips before disappearing a
The apartment was unusually quiet.No hurried footsteps.No laptop already open on the dining table.No phone vibrating every other minute.For the first time in what felt like forever, Estella wasn't getting ready for work.She had officially taken two days of medical leave.Not because she wanted to.Because she finally admitted she couldn't pretend she was fine anymore.The smell of toasted bread drifted through the apartment, followed by freshly brewed coffee.Lionel stood in front of the kitchen counter, effortlessly flipping another slice of chocolate toast before placing it onto a plate. Beside it sat a mug of warm honey tea without sugar—the way Estella always liked it whenever she wasn't feeling well.He glanced over his shoulder.His little sister sat quietly at the breakfast bar.One hand supported her cheek.The other loosely held a slice of toast she hadn't taken a bite from.She wasn't looking at anything in particular.Just... staring.Lost somewhere far away.Lionel sw
The executive floor had emptied nearly an hour ago.Only the soft glow from Estella's desk lamp remained.She leaned back in her chair, rubbing the bridge of her nose before shutting down her laptop. The digital clock in the corner of the screen read 9:43 p.m.Another late night.Another pile of reports finally finished.She gathered the remaining files into her bag, slipped on her blazer, and quietly left the office....By the time the taxi pulled away from Valcor, the city had already changed.The evening rush was over.Streetlights reflected across the wet pavement, while neon signs painted streaks of color against the windows.Estella rested her head lightly against the glass.Her shoulders felt unusually heavy.Her entire body ached.It wasn't the familiar exhaustion after working overtime.This was different.As though every muscle had been drained of strength.She closed her eyes for a moment.Maybe...she simply hadn't recovered from the past few chaotic days.Her phone vibra
Benedict Deveraux had barely returned to the mansion's study when the butler knocked twice on the heavy wooden door."Mr. Laurent is here, sir."Benedict didn't look up from the documents spread across his desk."Send him in."A few seconds later, Victor Laurent stepped inside.Unlike his usual polished smile, today's expression was cold and unreadable. He closed the door himself before walking toward the seating area by the floor-to-ceiling windows.Neither man offered a handshake.Neither bothered with pleasantries.Benedict finally stood, carrying his cup of coffee with him."I assume you didn't come all the way here to congratulate me."Victor let out a dry chuckle."I don't think either of us is in the mood for congratulations."Silence settled between them.The atmosphere felt heavier than it ever had before.Victor reached into his briefcase and slid a tablet across the coffee table.The screen displayed dozens of headlines.Zero Degree Financial Crimes Expand.Government Inves
The city lights blurred beneath Estella’s gaze.She stood on the balcony of her apartment, arms folded tightly across her chest, letting the cold night air bite into her skin. It helped—slightly. Kept her grounded.But not enough.Because the file was still there.Burned into her mind.Duan Dyne —
The morning light over the golf course was too clean.Too calm.It didn’t match the tension tightening under Estella’s skin.She stood on the grass, adjusting her grip on the club—precise, controlled, exactly how she had been taught.From a distance, she looked flawless.Up close—She was holding h
The investigation room wasn’t cold.It just felt that way.Estella sat straight, hands folded on the table, posture flawless—too flawless for someone being accused of breaching a restricted system.Across from her, three members of internal audit reviewed the data projected on the screen.No one sm
Estella knew something was wrong the moment she stepped out of the elevator.It wasn’t loud.No alarms. No raised voices.Just… absence.Too many eyes. Too little sound.People who usually greeted her suddenly found something else to look at—screens, documents, anything but her. Conversations dropp







