The front door clicked shut behind Vivian.The hallway went quiet. Just the hum of the air conditioning and Sophie's perfume — too close, too sweet, too deliberate.Ethan grabbed Sophie's wrist and pried her arm off his."She's gone." He stepped back, putting distance between them. "You can drop the act."Sophie didn't move. She stood in the middle of the hallway, silk robe slipping off one shoulder, and stared at him with an expression that had nothing to do with performance."You think that was an act?"Ethan's jaw tightened. "We barely know each other, Sophie. Whatever this is — gratitude, amusement, some grudge against Vivian — it's not what you're pretending it is.""Do you believe in love at first sight?"The question landed like a slap.Sophie closed the front door. The lock clicked. She turned back to him, and her eyes were burning — not with mischief, not with the playful flirtation she'd been wearing all night. Something raw. Something that had been caged for a long time."Th

The restaurant Damian chose was all dark wood, white linen, and hushed conversations. A corner booth. Two glasses of Bordeaux. Steak tartare for him, salmon for her.Vivian barely touched her food.Damian noticed. He noticed everything — that was his gift. But he didn't push. He talked about his flight, about the weather back home, about a terrible movie he'd watched on the plane. Light. Easy. Giving her space to breathe.Then, between the main course and dessert, he set down his fork."So." His tone shifted. Still warm, but with an undercurrent of purpose. "I mentioned I had good news."Vivian looked up."My uncle — Vincent. He's in real estate, but he's been looking to diversify. Branch into other industries." Damian leaned forward, elbows on the table. "I pitched him on Lockwood Industries."Vivian's brow furrowed. "Lockwood doesn't need investors, Damian. We need contracts. Partners. Revenue streams. Our capital reserves are —""Still thinking like you haven't slept?" He grinned.

Aurora's eyes locked onto Ethan.The entire cafeteria seemed to hold its breath.Travis's jaw dropped. Kevin's chopsticks clattered against his tray. The guy next to Ethan made a sound like a deflating balloon.Ethan's stomach sank. 'What the hell is she doing here?'He was nobody in this building. A business associate who'd been here less than a month. And now the CEO of Stellaris International Trading was standing at his table, tray in hand, looking at him like he was the only person in the room."Is there a seat available?" Aurora repeated.Everyone understood. The guy sitting across from Ethan — Kevin — shot to his feet so fast his chair screeched against the floor."Ms. Sinclair! I just finished — please, take my seat!"His tray was still three-quarters full. Aurora glanced at his tray, then back at his face. Her smile widened."Thank you." She set her tray down and settled into the chair with the ease of someone claiming a throne. Then, just as Kevin was turning to leave: "St

The break room outside the cafeteria was empty.Ethan shut the door behind him, pulled up Sophie's number, and hit call."Well, well." Sophie's voice dripped with amusement. "That was fast.""Cut the act." His tone was ice. "Those photos. You're using them to force me to meet you."A pause. Then a laugh."Force you? Ethan, darling, I was simply sharing some precious memories. Memories I happen to cherish."His jaw tightened. "You drugged me. You took those photos. And now you're sending them to my phone in the middle of a workday. What exactly would you call that?""Nostalgic?" "Sophie." "Oh, relax." Her tone shifted — still playful. "If I wanted to see you, I have plenty of civilized ways to make it happen. For instance, I could call your company right now, say there are unresolved details in the Whitfield account, and request that Ethan Carter handle them personally. Face to face. In my office."Ethan's grip on the phone tightened.She wasn't bluffing. The Whitfield deal had jus

Sophie pulled the Maserati into a public parking spot near Crestwood University.The engine died. She hopped out, circled around, and tried to loop her arm through his as he stepped onto the curb.Ethan sidestepped her without a word.Sophie didn't flinch. Didn't pout. She just clasped her hands behind her back and strolled ahead, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth like she'd already won something he hadn't agreed to lose.They walked half a block before she stopped in front of a roadside barbecue stand — plastic stools, metal tables, smoke curling up from a charcoal grill manned by a heavyset woman in an apron."Boss lady! Ten pork skewers, ten chicken, a plate of garlic chives, a dozen grilled oysters — oh, and a case of beer!"Sophie rattled off the order before Ethan had even sat down.The owner looked up from her notepad, pen hovering. Her eyes landed on Ethan, and her face split into a grin."Sophie! Haven't seen you in ages." She tilted her chin toward Ethan. "This you