LOGINGARRETT“You're still not going to tell me why exactly you're here?”I asked Gwen for what had to be the fifteenth time that evening, my hands steady on the steering wheel.“I told you,” she said. “It's because I missed you.”“You're tripping.”I knew that wasn't the real reason.Gwen was always complaining about how much she hated it here. Yet she'd suddenly shown up without telling me, acting like it was completely normal.“Are you sure you're okay?” I asked, glancing at her before returning my attention to the road.“I'm fine, Garrett.” She smiled. “Just go to the address I gave you.”“And why exactly are we going there?”“God, you ask too many questions,” she muttered. “Just focus on the road.”“If there's something going on—”“There's nothing going on,” she cut me off. “Just focus on the road.”I studied her for a second before looking ahead again.“Okay.”I decided to take her word for it.A few moments passed in silence.Then Gwen looked at me.“She's really pretty.”I glanced
ASHLEYAfter that kiss with Garrett, I couldn't figure out what I wanted anymore.I'd spent so much time telling myself that I needed to move on. That it was time to let go of Jordan and allow myself to be happy with someone else.Maybe Garrett could be that someone.The kiss should have made things easier. It had felt good, better than I wanted to admit. For a moment, I'd forgotten everything else and simply let myself enjoy being close to him.But instead of giving me clarity, it had only left me more confused.Because Jordan was still on my mind.Ever since his confession in Selene's office, I'd tried to talk to him. More than once.But it was almost as if he was deliberately avoiding me.We worked in the same building, yet somehow I could go an entire day without even catching a glimpse of him. Whenever I thought I might finally get the chance to speak to him, he was already gone.And then there was Garrett.He kept planning dates for us, and I hadn't even figured out how to talk
SEBASTIANThe moment I stepped into the house, Selene emerged from the kitchen.“You’re back, dear.”She walked toward me and wrapped her arms around me.I held her close, taking in the sweet fragrance of her perfume before she finally pulled back.“How did the family meeting go?”I sighed and took her hand as we moved toward the couch.“Not well. Father is upset that I didn't tell him about everything Julian has done.”She sat beside me, still holding my hand.“So what happened?”“I made Julian step down from his position, and...” I paused. “Father told him to take some time away from the company to reflect on his actions.”I shook my head.“He was really disappointed.”“It’s understandable,” Selene said. “I didn't know he was capable of something like that either.”I nodded, but my mind drifted back to the office.Julian's threat.You don't think this is over, do you?I'd dismissed it when he said it.But the more I thought about it, the harder it was to ignore.“What is it?” Selene
ANTONI smacked my lips as I glanced at the restaurant through my windshield.“Are you sure this is a good idea, Zara?” I asked, holding my phone to my ear.“Of course,” her high-pitched voice came through the speaker. “Anton, you need to meet new people, okay? You said things were getting awkward between you and Ashley.”I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.The situation with Ashley was something I couldn't explain, mostly because I didn't understand it myself.One minute, everything between us felt normal. We were friends. We talked, laughed, and spent time together without having to think too much about it.Then Garrett came along.And suddenly, the thought of Ashley getting closer to him irritated me more than it should.I didn't want whatever was happening inside my head to grow into something that could ruin our friendship. That was why I'd gone to Zara for help.Her solution?A blind date.I opened my eyes and leaned forward, resting my hands on the steering wheel. “Yeah.”“
SELENEAfter listening to Jordan, I honestly didn't know what to say.I couldn't pretend he was completely innocent. He had made mistakes, and some of them had hurt people badly. But after hearing what really happened with Gwen, I could understand why he'd carried that guilt for so long.I looked at Ashley.“Can you excuse us for a moment?”She hesitated for a second.I knew she still had a lot she wanted to say to Jordan, but that could wait.She quietly nodded, got up from her seat, and walked out of my office.Once the door closed behind her, I looked back at Jordan.“I understand why you didn't want her here.”He exhaled slowly but didn't respond.“Did you see Gwen after she left the hospital?”“No.” His answer came quietly. “I heard she left, so…”“So what are you going to do now?” I asked. “Are you going to keep letting that moment torment you?”His gaze dropped.“I just…”“Stop running from it.”He looked at me.“You're never going to feel better if you keep carrying all of tha
SEBASTIANThe meeting had been going smoothly.At least, until I dropped the news about the deal I'd just secured.“I've finalized the agreement with Hartwell International,” I said, sliding the folder across the table. “The contract will be signed by the end of the week.”A few of the board members exchanged impressed looks.“That’s a significant deal,” one of them said.“It is,” I replied.The discussion that followed was productive. We went over the numbers, the projected growth, and how the company would handle the expansion. Everyone had something to contribute, and for once, there were no pointless arguments around the table.Then, just as the discussion was winding down, one of the older board members cleared his throat.“There is one other matter.”I leaned back in my chair. “Yes?”“I heard a rumor that you may be stepping down from your position.”The room went quiet.I almost smiled. “I’m not stepping down.”He looked slightly surprised. “So the rumor isn't true?”“Not even
SELENE Even though my heart was pounding wildly, I turned slowly to face him. He stood so close that I could feel his warmth, and what unsettled me most wasn't just the distance between us, it was the way he was looking at me. Softly. Tenderly. So different from the cold, indifferent stares
I had waited three years for him to look at me like this, and now that he was, I didn't know where to stand.SELENE Three years. Three long years of silence, cold shoulders, and feeling invisible. And now... he was looking at me. Speaking my name. Selene. It rolled off his lips like a spell, shatte
I had been ready to end us... yet I wasn't ready to lose him. SELENE I sat in the cold surgical waiting room, my hands clenched tightly in my lap, staring at the sterile walls. Time felt cruel and slow, stretching endlessly. The sharp scent of disinfectant burned my nose, pressed down on my ches
I had prepared for heartbreak, but not for this.SELENE "I want a divorce." The words trembled on my lips as I stared at the envelope clutched in my hands, the thick cream paper inside heavy with finality. "Three years with you have been hell and I... I..." My voice cracked. I squeezed my ey







