lickering beneath my calm exterior. Punctuality is a s

mattered; ten more minutes passed,

e doors

elonged to him because the energy shifte

d, voice smooth but

ce him, and th

o

no

se

t f

e so hard I had to grip t

uldn'

it

ha

I hadn't known then but whose presence had haunted

ur gazes locked, recogn

omething dange

disbelief flashing before co

ared, and it was just Ethan and me, pa

tly like a murmur

wed. "It

Fate, it seemed, had a twisted sense of

ra Daniels. She came highly recommended, so she was hired based on

If anyone else in the room noticed the way his shoulders stiff

ending his hand. His voice was

for half a second l

t sent a jolt of ener

priate for the way it made my pulse race. I released him

plied evenly. "I

company. I spent the day with the HR team, and by the close of business, I

The following day, I arrived early, as always, carrying my laptop

y into Cole Corp, not as a visit

h the billion-dollar oil-rig mer

be derailed by anyone or anything, even the CEO whose name

ntally rehearsed every angle of the merger, and I reviewed the numbers, forecasts, and pr

.. the do

charm and commanding presence, as if th

sharp suit tailored to perfection,

ng over the spreadsheet. He stopped at the head of the table, glanc

o stop the escape of that sm

kering in surprise. "It's... you," he said, voice low

wn voice steadier than I felt,

attlefield, so I reminded myself, my one rule: no

ding my laptop closed and standing, letting t

ecognition and curiosity burning behind them. He nodded o

d some of the projections were debated. I could feel Ethan's gaze on

ppreciatively. Ethan's expression darkened slightly, something between int

mmering just below the surface, the kind that could ignite or destro

so often, Ethan interjected with his signature smooth confidence, each word measured, every sug

tween us, recognizing the tension, the sparks flyi

board members began filing out. Ethan rema

oks like we've got our work cut out for us," I said, keepi

feel the faint warmth radiating off him. "Y

ged," I countered

d." He said cha

ght, but only

ing to say,

s not

cide that," I replie

en us, heavy with every

ep closer. "I l

ded. "You sho

searched her face. "

indeed,

k, "whatever happened five years ago

ghten and a half

" he r

es

arming, the CEO façade slidin

o the tea

turned towa

reached it,

ma

, his voice low and slowly he added, "Just so you know,