Mia had to hide. Panic shot through her body, and her first instinct was to grab the closest thing her hands could find.

    She snatched up a magazine from a desk in the waiting area and rushed toward the wall on the far side of the lobby. Pressing herself against it, she opened the pages and held them up in front of her face as if she was deeply lost in it.

    idiot.

    breathing was ragged. She prayed no one would pay attention to why she’s standing like this and facing the wall like a freaking

    She had been expecting something like this to happen. She knew it was inevitable. This was hispany.

    Of course, she would cross paths with him sooner orter. But knowing it wasing and being ready for it were two very different things.

    Her heart pounded hard in her chest.

    She was scared. Terrified.

    Yet at the same time, there was a pull inside her towards him.

    A deep aching curiosity that screamed for her to look back. To see what Alex ckwell looked like now.

    “Good morning, sir.”

    The lobby filled with voices as the employees greeted him with respect.

    Mia froze, clutching the magazine tighter. The room suddenly felt smaller, suffocating.

    “Mr. Lowell, a minute please,i” /ia man’s voice called out.

    Her eyes closed instantly, as if shutting them would protect her from the sound that was about to hit her.

    And then it came.

    “What is it, Mr. Krish?”

    Her heart jumped so violently at the sound of his voice that the magazine almost slipped from her hands.

    She knows that voice. She had memorized it, dreamed of it, prayed to forget it.

    It was deeper now, moremanding.

    But beneath it, she could still hear that voice, the one that had once whispered her name on her lip, who had onceughed freely

    with her.

    Her eyes slid closed. A single tear broke free. She didn’t even bother to wipe it away.

    God, she missed him. Missed him so much.

    Like the stubborn person she is, she didn’t turn back and run like her head and heart was begging her to do.

    Worse things will happen as long as you’re here… but Mia didn’t listen. She needed this job…. She needs the money.

    She has already started, at least let her get her first sry.

    After spending fifteen minutes in the bathroom trying topose herself and steady her breathing, she was ready to face the day.

    She does what she does best, push everything to the back of her mind and forge ahead.

    She walked into her open office

    The ce was always so quiet in the mornings, too quiet. She was the first person around.

    Her eyes drifted to the stack of files sitting neatly on her desk. The ones her co–workers had dropped for her yesterday with no shame, expecting her to pick up after them again. The papers sat there, untouched.

    Good..

    Mia sighed. Her body already felt drained, even though the day hadn’t started yet.

    Her mind tries to bring him up but she pushes it down forcing herself to think of something else.

    She pulled her chair back, the sound scraping across the floor, she sat down with heaviness in her chest. She brushed her fingers lightly across the desk, sweeping away the trail of dust as if that would make this environment feel better, less suffocating.

    But it didn’t.

    For a moment, she closed her eyes. All she wanted was some quietness in her head.

    Minutes passed before the silence began to break. Voices low at first, then louder as more of her co–workers filed in. The office slowly filled with chatter.

    It wouldn’t be long before Mr. Cruz came storming in, demanding everyone’s previous work.

    Mia leaned down, unlocked her locker, and pulled out her own neatlypleted work. Her fingers lingered on the folder, almost

    protective.

    One by one, her co–workers started to move. They started walking towards her desk to pick up their files. Mia noticed the small details, how they avoided her gaze.

    No greeting. No acknowledgement. Nothing. Just like yesterday.

    Her lips curved into a smirk. She wanted to see what would happen when they realized she had not done their tasks for them this time. She wanted to see the moment it clicked.

    She waited.

    It didn’t take long. The whispers started first. Quiet curses under their breath. Then sharper words that carried across bthe /broom.

    “What the hell?” someone muttered loudly enough for her to hear.

    E

    bfil /b

    insert

    delete

    home

    end

    pg up