Selina Whyte had intended to pop in for a quick visit—twenty minutes at most. She'd told herself the detour to see her parents would feel like a small island of calm between her long day at Vel's Corporation and the pile of chores waiting at home. She carried a paper bag of warm pastries and a faint hope that home would smell like safety.
But when she reached the porch, muffled voices met her instead—raised, sharp, and angry. The soft light falling over the curtains did nothing to soften the edge in her father's voice.
"Linda, I said I don't have the money!" Richard Whyte barked. "Stop asking me to change. I'm not a child!"
Her mother's voice trembled but didn't break. "You gamble away everything we have, Richard! You even sold the old radio your daughter bought for you. Don't you feel any shame?"
Selina froze at the doorway, clutching the paper bag tighter. She'd seen this scene too many times. Every visit home felt like walking into the same storm.
Her younger brother, Sammy, peeked from behind the doorframe, his expression weary beyond his years. "They started again," he murmured, eyes darting toward the living room.
Selina sighed and stepped inside. "Mom? Dad? Please, stop this."
Linda turned, eyes tired but brightening slightly when she saw her daughter. "Selina, honey, you're here."
Richard groaned and reached for his shirt on the chair. "Your daughter again. Maybe she came to tell you how to control me too, huh?"
"Richard, please!" Linda's voice cracked. "Don't say that before her!"
Selina dropped the bag of pastries on the table. "Dad, enough! You think we like coming home to this every time? Sammy and Mom deserve peace too."
Her father's hand slammed against the table, making the pastries jump. "Peace? Tell your mother to stop talking about my habits then!"
The sound of the slap came out of nowhere—hard, echoing. For a moment, everything went still. Linda had raised her hand, trembling as tears streamed down her face.
"I can't take it anymore, Richard. You're tearing this family apart."
Selina took her mother's arm gently. "Mom, please… it's okay. Don't cry."
Sammy rushed forward, hugging their mother tightly. Richard, breathing heavily, looked away. His voice softened just a little. "You all act like I'm the enemy. I'm just… tired."
But Selina could only think of how many times she'd heard the same line before.
She stayed a little while longer, cleaning up broken words and spilled tea, pretending everything would be fine. When she finally left, the house behind her looked smaller than ever.
......
Across town, Vel's Corporation buzzed with quiet tension the next morning. The incident with Vanessa's unexpected return still hung in the air like a cloud that refused to move.
Andrew Vel sat in his office, his hands clasped over his desk, staring blankly at the monitor. His mind wasn't on the numbers or the proposals—it was stuck somewhere between the past and the present.
Vanessa Moore. The woman who once made him believe in forever, and who had also shattered it.
He had no idea why she'd come back—or what she wanted. Her sudden appearance at the office had sent the entire staff whispering, though no one dared to speak directly about it.
And then there was Selina.
Andrew's jaw tightened. Every time he saw her through the glass wall, every time she walked past his office, he felt something twist inside him. Since that unexpected kiss—the one that ended with a sharp slap—he hadn't been able to think straight.
She avoided his gaze completely, sticking to her work with mechanical precision. Her professionalism impressed him, but it also irritated him. She was too calm, too distant, as if nothing had happened.
He leaned back, rubbing his temples. "What's wrong with me?" he muttered.
Just then, his phone buzzed.
Gabrielle.
Andrew hesitated before picking up. "What is it this time?"
Gabrielle's cheerful tone boomed through the receiver. "Bro, you sound half-dead. Don't tell me you're still sitting in that office with your tie choking your emotions."
Andrew sighed. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Gabrielle."
"That's exactly why I called. Let's grab a drink. You need it."
"I don't—"
"Yes, you do. You've been off lately. I heard something happened at the office." Gabrielle's voice lowered with playful suspicion. "Don't tell me it's about her."
Andrew's silence was answer enough.
Gabrielle laughed softly. "I knew it. I'll pick you up in thirty minutes."
Before Andrew could protest, the line went dead.
He stared at the phone for a while, then sighed. "Fine. Maybe a drink will help."
He grabbed his coat and stepped out of the office. As he passed Selina's desk, she looked up briefly, their eyes locking for a fraction of a second before she quickly looked away. That small moment made something flicker in him—a mix of regret and something he didn't want to name.
He left without another word.
........
That night, in a dimly lit bar at the edge of Los Angeles, Gabrielle raised his glass high. "To women who make us lose our sanity!"
Andrew almost smiled. "You mean to women who destroy it."
Gabrielle chuckled. "You're still thinking about her, huh? Vanessa?"
Andrew's expression darkened. "She came back today."
The smile dropped from Gabrielle's face. "Vanessa? You're joking."
"I wish I was." Andrew stared into his glass. "I don't even know why she's back. But seeing her again—everything I tried to bury just came rushing back."
Gabrielle leaned back. "And that new secretary of yours? You've been acting weird ever since she joined."
Andrew gave a half-laugh. "You notice everything, don't you?"
"It's my job as your friend. But man, maybe this is fate playing tricks on you. The ex shows up, the new girl slaps you—life's trying to teach you something."
Andrew smirked faintly. "Maybe it's teaching me I should fire you."
Gabrielle grinned. "Try me."
The two men clinked glasses, but only one of them smiled for real.
........
Meanwhile, back at her apartment, Vanessa Moore stood by her window overlooking the Los Angeles skyline. Her glass of wine reflected the city's light.
Her phone buzzed again. She didn't answer.
Instead, she whispered to herself, "You thought you could move on without me, Andrew Vel?"
Her smile was cold. Calculated.
She turned toward the desk, where a small envelope lay open—inside was a single photo. Andrew and Selina, captured mid-conversation, unaware of the camera.
Vanessa traced Selina's face with her finger, her smile deepening. "Let's see how long your perfect little office peace lasts."
The night outside deepened, and somewhere across the city, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that something dangerous had just begun.