The sun rose sluggishly over Los Angeles, its pale light spilling into the quiet corners of the city that never really slept.
Andrew Vel groaned as he blinked awake, the headache pounding behind his temples reminding him of the night before. The half-empty glass on the table and the faint smell of whiskey filled the room.
He sat up slowly, pressing his palms against his forehead. "I shouldn't have gone out," he muttered under his breath.
Gabrielle had dropped him off past midnight, laughing the entire way while Andrew remained silent, lost in thought. The laughter had faded the moment the car door shut, and now, with morning creeping in, all that remained was regret.
He dragged himself to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. Cold water hit his face, shocking him back to reality. The mirror reflected tired eyes, red from sleeplessness and confusion.
He couldn't stop thinking about her. Not Vanessa—he'd long learned to numb that pain. No, the face that haunted him now was Selina's. The slap, the look in her eyes—part anger, part something else—played again and again in his mind.
Andrew clenched his jaw. "You're my employee," he whispered to the mirror. "Just my employee."
But even as he said it, he didn't believe himself.
...........
At the same hour, Selina Whyte stood at her apartment window, phone pressed to her ear.
"Mom, please don't cry," she said softly. "Just… try not to talk to him today, okay?"
Her mother's voice cracked through the receiver. "Selina, he promised, but last night he went out again. He even sold the fan you bought last month."
Selina closed her eyes, her chest tightening. "Mom, I'll send you some money. Just… don't let it get worse."
"I don't need your money," Linda said, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her. "I just want peace, Selina. That's all."
Selina wiped her eyes. "You'll have it one day, Mom. I promise."
She ended the call and took a deep breath. Her reflection in the glass looked steady, but inside, everything was trembling.
......
By nine o'clock, the Vel's Corporation lobby was buzzing with the usual morning energy, but beneath the chatter was an unease no one could quite explain.
Rumors had begun spreading since Vanessa Moore's return. No one dared mention her name loudly, yet whispers floated in corners—how she used to run the place beside Andrew, how she'd suddenly vanished, and now how she'd appeared again as if she owned the world.
Selina walked briskly through the hallway, folder in hand, ignoring the stares. Since that night in the office, she'd kept her distance from Andrew. Professional. Controlled. But the more she tried to bury it, the more her mind replayed that moment—the warmth of his hand, the closeness, the shock that followed.
When she reached the office, she noticed Andrew was already inside. He sat behind his desk, his expression unreadable.
"Good morning, sir," she said quietly.
He looked up briefly. "Morning."
Their eyes met for a heartbeat before she turned to her desk. The silence between them was sharp but familiar.
"Did you review the report I sent yesterday?" he asked, breaking it.
"Yes. I've added the corrections. I'll have the final draft ready before noon."
"Good."
That was it. Two words, and yet Selina's heart wouldn't stop racing.
She turned back to her screen, but she could feel his eyes lingering on her every so often, even when she pretended not to notice.
.......
Meanwhile, across town, Vanessa Moore sat elegantly in the corner of a luxury café. The gold stirrer in her cup swirled lazily through her untouched coffee.
She was waiting.
A man in a gray suit approached and sat across from her. His face was hidden behind dark shades, his demeanor professional.
"You called," he said.
Vanessa smiled faintly. "You've been keeping me informed about Vel's Corporation, yes?"
He nodded. "As you requested. But what exactly do you want from them, Ms. Moore?"
She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Information. Specifically, about a certain woman working there. Selina Whyte."
The man's brow furrowed. "The secretary?"
"Yes." Vanessa's voice was cool, dangerous. "Find out everything. Her background, her connections, why she's so close to Andrew."
The man hesitated. "That might take time."
Vanessa's red lips curved. "Then start now. I'm not patient."
She slid an envelope across the table. The faint sound of money brushing paper sealed the deal.
When the man left, Vanessa leaned back and let out a small laugh. "You think you've moved on, Andrew Vel?" she whispered. "Let's see how long your new peace lasts."
...........
Back at the company, the tension between Andrew and Selina reached a quiet breaking point.
Selina stepped into his office with the final draft of the proposal, setting it gently on his desk. "Here's the completed version, sir."
Andrew looked up. For a moment, neither spoke.
"Thank you," he said finally.
She nodded and turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.
"Selina."
She froze. "Yes, sir?"
His eyes softened, something unguarded flickering behind them. "About that night…"
Her heart skipped.
"It won't happen again," he said finally. "You have my word."
Something in his tone—part regret, part restraint—made her chest tighten. "Of course," she replied, her voice steady even as her fingers trembled slightly.
She left quickly, shutting the door behind her.
Andrew leaned back in his chair, exhaling. "You're making this harder than it should be, Selina," he murmured to himself.
.......
That evening, as the office lights dimmed, Selina stepped out into the cool Los Angeles air. Her phone buzzed—a message from an unknown number.
She opened it.
Unknown: "You're quite close to Andrew Vel, aren't you?"
Her steps slowed.
Another message followed.
Unknown: "Be careful. People are watching."
Selina stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, her breath catching. Her eyes darted around the street, but there was no one she recognized.
Somewhere far off, Vanessa sipped her wine and smiled at her phone.