Semua Bab With You : Bab 1 - Bab 10

AVA The buzz of office life was already in full swing when Ava stepped into the open-floor workspace of Wright AutoTech’s marketing department. She greeted a few colleagues with polite nods, balancing her tablet and water bottle in one hand while brushing a stray braid from her face. She was used to the fast pace. Used to being overlooked. She didn’t mind it, not really. It gave her room to observe, to plan. Her desk sat near the far end, close enough to the glass window wall to see the city skyline, but far enough from the senior managers to avoid unnecessary small talk. Ava preferred it that way. It gave her space to think, to breathe, to work. She had just settled in when Luke strolled in, commanding the room with every step. His movements were smooth and deliberate, exuding a quiet confidence. About six-two, lean but defined, he moved like someone who always got what he wanted. His jawline was sharp, stubbled just enough to give him a rugged look, and his eyes—cool and unread

AVAFridays at WAM weren’t exactly chill, especially not after a leaderboard update. The marketing floor still buzzed with low conversations and side glances at the digital dashboard across the room—Luke’s name still shining at the top, same as yesterday. It wasn’t anything new, but it still hit Ava a little different this time. She hadn’t come this far to play second fiddle, especially not to some guy who seemed to float through the office like he didn’t need to try.She adjusted her seat, eyes flicking over the numbers again—hers weren’t bad. In fact, they were pretty damn good. Just not “top of the chart” good. Yet.She pushed her chair back and stood, heading to the restroom—not because she really needed to, but because her mind wouldn’t stop spiraling around that damn board. Maybe a few minutes alone would help her breathe. But as soon as she pushed the restroom door open, voices floated through the air—light, chatty, and just loud enough to make her pause.“She’s good, no doubt,

AVA “This is Kade,” Kayla introduced the guy standing next to Luke with a wide smile, looping her arm around his. “My boyfriend.” The table responded with friendly smiles and teasing whoops. “And this,” she added, gesturing to Luke, “is Luke, Kade's best friend. They used to live together back then in college.” Christine leaned in toward Ava and whispered, “Best friend? Really?” Ava didn’t answer. She was too busy pretending not to care where Luke sat. Christine, ever the schemer, suddenly rose from her seat, dragging her purse as if on instinct. “Oh! I'm switching spots,” she said breezily, shooting Ava a mischievous smile. But before Luke could take the open seat beside Ava, David slid into it. Ava tried not to react. Luke took the seat directly across from her, far enough to breathe but close enough to hear. “Christine,” Ava muttered through clenched teeth. Christine only shrugged innocently, sipping her drink. Introductions went around again—Christine, David, a few other

AVAAva groaned as the sun filtered through the blinds, slicing across her face like it had a personal vendetta. Her head throbbed, not quite a full-blown hangover, but enough to make her regret not chugging a bottle of water before bed. She hadn't even had that much to drink, Luke had made sure of that. Her mouth was dry. Her legs felt like jelly. And her stomach... well, it was fine, but her pride was a little sore.She dragged herself out of bed and padded to the kitchen, where the smell of fried eggs and toast greeted her.Christine was already up, lounging on the couch with her bonnet on and a bowl of cereal in hand, looking way too alive for someone who got back late. The second Ava stumbled into the living room, she smirked."Well, well, if it isn’t the star of last night’s awkward drama," Christine teased, flipping an egg. “How’s the hangover?”“I didn’t even drink that much,” Ava muttered, reaching for a mug.“Yeah, yeah. That didn’t stop you from slurring ‘he’s so annoying’

AVA Ava didn’t check the board immediately. She’d told herself all week that the numbers on the board didn’t matter. That she was working for her own growth, and was unbothered by negativity. But when Thursday morning came, her pulse ticked just a little faster. She could hear the low hum of speculation, the banter between interns and engineers. Someone whistled. Another let out a low “Damn.” The digital leaderboard refreshed on the far wall screen at 12 noon sharp. It ranked the top five performance scores in the department based on completed campaigns, client feedback, and project impact. A message popped on her screen. Mark: You might wanna take a look at the board, champ. Ava’s breath hitched. Before she could reply, a louder voice cut through the floor. “Of course, you lot would drop,” Ken barked from his office, the door wide open for maximum effect. “Too much time looking pretty, not enough time working.” There was a chuckle. Ken walked over and clapped his shoulder. “