Ethan’s footsteps faded down the marble hallway. The sound echoed in Valerie’s office, yet she could no longer hear anything. The silence pressed against her chest like a hand she could not push away. She had expected fear. She had expected hesitation. But not this. Not the way his presence lingered in her mind like a scent she could not scrub away.She sank into her chair, eyes fixed on the city below. Lights flickered like fireflies, but they felt muted. The entire building had fallen into stillness. Only her heartbeat filled the room, loud, unrelenting, accusing.Her hand trembled as she reached for her phone. Not to call him. Not to apologize. She did not know what she would say if he answered. She only stared at the screen, blank, breathing uneven.A folder lay untouched beside her. Ethan’s proposal, unsigned, daring, reckless. It mocked her. A part of her wanted to destroy it. Tear the papers into shreds and throw them from the window. Yet her fingers hovered over the folder as
Last Updated : 2025-12-11 Read more