로그인The uneven sound of Isla's footsteps, distracted Ryan from changing the channels with the remote.
"Can't you walk like a normal human being for once?" Ryan asked as he turned to see her entering the living room."If I could just find half a pair of my sneakers," She looked at him. "Then I'll be normal."Ryan looked at her—apart from the flowery gown and the handbag she carried, she seemed almost mad. One foot wore half a pair of sneakers, while the other was comple"We should go," Isla repeated."We should?" Ryan asked, blinking with feigned confusion Isla was already walking.Ryan scrambled to catch up, falling into step beside her with considerably less dignity than he would probably like to admit. For a moment he said nothing. Just kept pace with her, hands in his pockets, stealing glances at her profile every few seconds like she was a weather system he was trying to predict.Isla stared straight ahead her sunglasses firmly in place definitely not thinking about her boss and his girlfriend back there.She could feel his eyes on her."What?" she finally snapped, when she couldn't bear it a second longer."Nothing." Ryan looked forward immediately."That wasn't nothing. You were staring.""I wasn't staring.""Ryan.""I was glancing," he corrected seriously. "There's a difference."Isla exhaled through her nose and kept walking.The street was busy around them. People moving in every direction, bags swinging, conversations bleeding into each o
A chest. Very hard chest.Isla felt it beneath her palms before she even processed the fact that she had walked straight into an actual human being.Slowly, almost fearfully, she tilted her head upward.Blue eyes met hers instantly. Cold, sharp, and calm.And attached to those blue eyes was a lazy smirk she was struggling to get used to. Mr Blackwell never smiled.Isla’s soul briefly left her body."Mr. Blackwell…" she said weakly. "What are you doing here?"The smirk deepened.Darian Blackwell looked unfairly good standing in front of a luxury store like he personally owned half the city. Dark tailored suit. Expensive watch. Hands casually tucked into his pockets like he didn’t have a single problem in the world.Meanwhile, Isla had just been escorted out of a building ten seconds ago.His gaze slid past her shoulder.Directly toward the security guards still standing near the entrance.Isla felt heat rush into her face so quickly it was almost violent."Oh, that?" she said quickly,
The uneven sound of Isla's footsteps, distracted Ryan from changing the channels with the remote. "Can't you walk like a normal human being for once?" Ryan asked as he turned to see her entering the living room."If I could just find half a pair of my sneakers," She looked at him. "Then I'll be normal."Ryan looked at her—apart from the flowery gown and the handbag she carried, she seemed almost mad. One foot wore half a pair of sneakers, while the other was completely bare."You're going to be the death of me." He complained his gaze returning to the TV, where the news was playing.Isla rolled her eyes as ashe made her way to the TV completely blocking Ryan's view."What now?" Ryan frowned."I'm looking for my shoes remember??" She raised an eyebrow."What relationship does your shoe have..."Got it!!!" Isla exclaimed.Ryan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Common, let's go shall
"Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!"Isla stirred from her sleep but didn't move otherwise, her body still heavy with exhaustion."Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"The knock grew more persistent by the minute, echoing through the quiet apartment like it had a personal vendetta against her peace.Who is that? Isla thought. Couldn't they get a hint?She buried her face deeper into her pillow in order to block out the noise, but it still grew persistent, almost rhythmic now, like whoever was on the other side had made a hobby of it.Still with her eyes closed, she searched blindly for her phone on the bed, her hand patting around until she found it tangled somewhere near her blanket. She turned it on, squinting against the brightness of the screen.11:50 in the morning.She had slept for how many hours? Five. She had only woken up earlier to do her morning routine when Eliza decided that she was awake and no one else was supposed to be sleeping, typical Eliza energy, loud and unapologetic before noon.
Isla left his office lost in thoughts, the joy of seeing him laugh long gone. The hallway felt longer than usual, the familiar hum of the office fading into background noise as her heels clicked against the marble floor. She barely registered the curious glances from her colleagues as she passed, her mind somewhere else entirely.Why did she want to see her?She reached her door and pushed it open, stepping in, then paused.Nate was standing in the middle of her office, a frown marring his perfectly sculpted face. His arms were crossed and his jaw was set, but the moment their eyes met, something shifted in his expression. Almost imperceptibly. Almost."Why are you in my office?" Isla asked, surprised."What happened??" He asked. When Isla showed signs that she wasn't understanding his point, he cleared his throat."Mmmm." Then continued. "I mean between Darian and you.""Oh, is that it?" She sighed, dropping her folder onto the desk. "Weren't you in your office?" She asked, giving hi
"Yes."Of course there was.He opened the file, flipping through it at an unhurried pace that felt deliberate, almost calculated. Her fingers curled slightly at her side as she stood there, waiting, the seconds stretching just enough to feel intentional."This section," he said finally, tapping lightly on the page. "Explain your projections."Her gaze dropped briefly before returning to him. "They’re outlined in the report.""Explain them."Her jaw tightened."They’re built on projected market elasticity and phased expansion over three quarters...."His eyes were focused on his laptop, when she stopped, he looked up. When Isla got his attention, she continued."...The first assumes a 12% growth rate based on last year’s consumer response patterns, while the second adjusts for seasonal volatility in Q2, which typically impacts procurement cycles.""The third scenario?" He asked."The th







