Directors and executives scrambled for the exit, their faces a mixture of relief and indignation. Ari, however, found herself suddenly fascinated by the water carafes. She moved with agonizing slowness, realigning the leather-bound notebooks by fractions of an inch and meticulously cap-ping the half-empty bottles. She waited for the last set of footsteps to fade, her heart hammering against her ribs. Finally, the heavy double doors clicked shut. The silence that followed was thick, charged with the lingering electricity of Xavier’s presence. Ari didn't waste another second. She abandoned the water glasses and practically ran toward the head of the table. "Xavier!" she chirped, a bright, playful smile breaking across her face. Before he could even stand, she leaned over and pressed a sweet, lingering peck to his cheek. Xavier’s stern expression didn't stand a chance,his features softened instantly as he reached out, his large hands finding her waist and effortlessly hoisting her ont

The drive resumed, but the air inside the car had shifted from icy to electric. Every time Xavier shifted gears, his knuckles grazed the edge of the center console, a silent reminder of the safety initiative now tucked safely away. As they neared the mountain pass, a large, brightly lit grocery store appeared on the horizon. Mark, whose stomach had been audible for the last twenty miles, perked up. "Sir, mind if we pull over?" Mark asked. "I should grab some water and snacks” “Do you want me to come along? I can help pick out some chips." "Don't worry about it, Ari!" Mark interrupted with his usual sunny disposition, already unbuckling as the car slowed. "You look tired. Stay here and enjoy the seat heaters. I'll be back in five minutes." The moment the store’s sliding doors swallowed Mark, the silence in the car shattered. Xavier let out a breath he seemed to have been holding since the highway. He scrubbed a hand over his face, his usual stoic mask crumbling. "I suddenly found

The alarm on Ari’s phone let out a chirp at 4:00 AM. She bolted upright, her heart hammering against her ribs as she fumbled in the dark to silence the device before the noise could register. Beside her, Xavier didn't even stir. He was dead to the world, his heavy, muscular arm still wrapped around her. She moved with caution, gently lifting his hand and sliding out from under the warmth of the duvet. Her body felt heavy,sensitive and sore, a vivid reminder of the hours they’d just spent together. She gathered her clothes from the floor, pulling the dress over her head and shivering as the fabric settled against her skin. Just as she was about to reach for her shoes, her eyes landed on the pack of pads Chloe had pressed into her hand earlier that night. A slow smile touched her lips. If she was going to play the part of a girl with a period emergency,she might as well be thorough. She quickly unwrapped one and secured it in place. It was the perfect alibi—a physical prop in case anyon

Back in the sanctuary of her room, Ari leaned against the closed door, her heart still drumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She moved to her suitcase, digging through the neatly folded piles until she found it—a soft, cornflower-blue cropped hoodie. The color made her eyes look brighter, but it also felt like a neon sign pointing straight to the man who had demanded she wear it. When she finally stepped back out onto the field, the sun was higher, and the energy of the retreat had shifted from breakfast gossip to competitive adrenaline. "Ari! There you are," Mark called out, trotting over to her. His smile faltered the second he noticed her outfit. "Wait, what happened to the purple? I thought we were the Power Team today." Ari forced a sheepish smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh, this? I—I spilled some orange juice on the sweater during breakfast. Total klutz moment. I had to run back and change." Mark’s face fell slightly, but he quickly recov

The digital clock on Xavier’s nightstand says 8:00 PM. He paced his suite. He had been waiting for a message from Ari all afternoon, but she had been tucked away ever since the awards ceremony. He pulled out his phone and typed a quick message: *I miss you. Do you want to come over?* He waited. One minute passed, then five, then ten. Nothing. He sent another, his thumb tapping aggressively against the screen: *Ari?* Still nothing. A cold, unfamiliar prickle of unease crawled up his spine. He wasn't the type prone to panic, but the thought of Ari being unreachable in a place filled with ambitious, prying eyes didn't sit well with him. He snatched his jacket and strode out into the corridor. He reached the girls' dormitory suite within minutes. He composed his face into a professional indifference, though his heart was hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He knocked firmly. When the door opened, Chloe stood there, her hair messy from a day in the sun. She looked startled to