Leona didn’t move for a moment. The faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air, expensive, but tired. It reminded her of desperation wrapped in luxury.Her lips curved, not in a smile exactly, but in something close.“He’s still the same,” she murmured under her breath.The morning light had shifted since he first walked in. It was late morning now, the sun higher, pouring a clearer glow into the office. The city’s hum had grown louder outside, car horns, faint sirens, people rushing somewhere. But inside, it was calm again. Too calm, just the way Leona liked it.She reached for her phone on the desk and scrolled through her contacts. Her fingers paused at one name, Elias Carter, her trusted partner and one of her strongest investors.She pressed call.It rang once before a deep, easy voice answered, “Leona. You’re calling earlier than usual. That’s either good news or trouble.”Her lips twitched. “Good morning to you too, Elias. I’m just full of surprises today.”He chuckled soft
The morning sun streamed softly through the wide glass windows of Leona’s office, painting a faint golden hue over her desk. The city below was waking up, horns, chatter, and distant footsteps, but in her office, everything was calm. Almost too calm.Leona sat behind her desk, flipping through a few reports, her pen tapping lightly against the edge of the paper. Her face was unreadable, the perfect mask of control she’d perfected over the years. But inside, her mind was steady, sharp. She knew today would be interesting.A light knock sounded at the door.“Come in,” Leona said without looking up.Dana stepped in, holding a tablet close to her chest. Her tone was careful, but her eyes carried that spark of curiosity Leona knew all too well. “Good morning, ma’am.”Leona hummed softly in response. “Morning, Dana. You found something, didn’t you?”Dana blinked, caught off guard. “You… already know?”Leona lifted her gaze finally, a hint of amusement crossing her features. “You’ve been pac
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime. Dorian stepped out, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor. He looked sharp as always, but the exhaustion behind his eyes gave him away. He had spent the entire night rewriting his pitch deck, convincing himself that today would change everything.But when he entered the meeting room, the mood was already off. Three investors sat waiting, their expressions unreadable. The air smelled faintly of coffee and paper, clean, serious, and cold.“Mr. Dorian,” one of them greeted, standing to shake his hand. “We’ve reviewed your proposal. It’s impressive work.”“Thank you,” Dorian replied smoothly, forcing a smile as he took his seat. “I’m confident this partnership will benefit us both.”Mr. Greene, the oldest investor, cleared his throat and exchanged a quick look with his colleagues. “Before we continue, there’s a… matter we can’t ignore.”Dorian’s stomach sank. “What matter?”Mr. Greene tapped on his tablet and turned it toward him
The day passed slower than usual.Leona’s morning had been steady, meetings, reports, calls, but her mind wasn’t entirely there. Every time she paused, her thoughts flicked back to Dorian’s face that morning, the nerve he had to show up at her company like he owned the place.She’d told him off, stood her ground, and yet… the encounter left a strange taste in her mouth. Not regret... just exhaustion.By mid-afternoon, she’d lost count of how many times she’d sighed. Dana, had noticed but wisely said nothing, just brought her coffee with quiet efficiency.Now the office was dimming. The last rays of sunlight streamed through the blinds, cutting faint golden lines across the dark wood of her desk.Leona leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temple gently. Her computer screen glowed with unread emails, but she didn’t move to answer any.Her phone sat beside her... silent.And for some reason, that silence bothered her more than she wanted to admit.She hadn’t heard from Adrian all day. N
The moment Leona disappeared through the glass doors, Dorian’s jaw clenched so tightly that the muscle in his cheek ticked. He stood there for a few seconds, staring at the building like he could still see her through it, like he could still make her turn back.But she didn’t.She walked away, head high, not once glancing over her shoulder. That was what burned the most.He exhaled sharply, his hand slipping into his pocket as he turned toward his car. His shoes clicked against the pavement, his every step controlled, but his mind was anything but calm.The driver quickly opened the door, but Dorian waved him off. “I’ll drive myself,” he said flatly.The man hesitated, unsure, but nodded and stepped back.Dorian slid into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut harder than he meant to. The moment the sound echoed through the car, he cursed under his breath and leaned back in his seat. His hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles turning pale.For a long moment, he didn’t move. He
The morning sun stretched high over the city, spilling pale light across the tall glass windows of Leona’s company. Her car slowed to a stop at the curb, the hum of the engine fading as the driver stepped out to open her door.Leona adjusted her bag on her lap, already running through the meetings she had lined up for the day. Sleep had been short, but strangely, she felt steadier. Maybe it was the riverside. Maybe it was Adrian’s words. She didn’t want to think about it too much.The car door opened, letting in the cool air of the morning. She stepped out, smoothing her palm over the strap of her bag. But the moment her heels touched the ground, her body stilled.Dorian was there.He leaned against the hood of a black car parked just meters away, arms folded over his chest, his posture casual but his eyes sharp. The sight of him here, at her company’s front steps, made her brows knit together instantly.Of all the places. Of all the ways.He straightened as soon as she looked his way