The music swelled as Tessa and Edwin stepped onto the dance floor, swaying easily, melting into the rhythm. Riven glanced at Kayla, then gestured toward the quieter edge of the rooftop.
"Want to grab a drink?" he asked. "Somewhere a little less crowded."
She nodded, and they headed out together.
The city stretched before them, calm from this height. Kayla gazed up at the open sky for a moment, taking in the stillness that contrasted the music behind them. Then she looked at him.
"So…" she said.
"So?" Riven replied, amused.
"I never thought you were a party kind of person," she said.
He lifted a brow in question. She chuckled.
"Not like that. You just seem more like someone who's always working."
He took a slow sip of his drink, eyes on the skyline.
"I could say the same about you," he said, glancing at her lightly teasing.
"And honestly… in all this chaos of work, loud music kind of helps."
She stared at him for a moment, then turned away, sipping her drink and nodding.
"Sometimes being lost in a crowd is better," she said.
He nodded in agreement. After a brief pause he added,
"About that fancy dining this afternoon… I feel like maybe we stopped living in the moments that matter. That's what turns them into old, distant memories."
Kayla's expression shifted.
Was this really it? Had she stopped living the moments that mattered, letting them fade into distant, borrowed memories instead?
No one had ever put it that way before. She took another sip.
"A change in thinking doesn't change reality either," she said.
Riven considered that for a few seconds, then looked at her again, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Well then, want to prove me wrong... Kayla?"
The night carried on filled with pauses that lingered, something that stayed longing for answers they never had with things that sounded familiar.
This wasn't just a moment passing, it was something waiting....
-----
The Next Day
01:45 PM — Empire Towers Inc, New York
Sophia took a deep breath before stepping inside the building. The lobby of Empire Towers was already alive with people walking past with files in hand, quiet discussions breaking near the elevators, a few suited investors pausing mid-conversation, while she crossed through it.
At the reception, Sophia paused and said,
"I'm here to meet Mr. Charles Curtis."
The receptionist looked up. "Do you have an appointment, ma'am?"
"No," Sophia replied. "But it's regarding an urgent matter."
The receptionist nodded, picked up the phone, and spoke quietly,
"Sir, there's a Miss Bennett here to see you. She doesn't have an appointment… Yes. I'll send her up."
She hung up and smiled politely.
"You can take the elevator to the fifteenth floor. His office is to the left."
Moments later, Sophia entered his office lobby.
Inside, Curtis gestured to the chair across from him. A man in his fifties, he carried the calm confidence of a seasoned businessman, as someone who owned multiple towers and hotels, often leased out for high-profile events and conferences.
"Oh, Miss Bennett. Please, take a seat."
Once she settled in, he asked evenly,
"So, what brings you in today?"
Sophia clasped her hands, visibly nervous.
"I… I need a little more time to pay the due," she said carefully.
"Not long. Just a month or a half—"
Curtis raised a hand, cutting her off gently.
"The dues have already been paid, Miss Bennett."
She froze.
"I'm sorry you had to trouble yourself coming all this way to inform me,"
he continued calmly. "There's no rush about the remaining formalities either. You can proceed at your comfort. And if anything is needed, feel free to contact my assistant."
Sophia stared at him taken aback, not just by his sudden change in tone,
but by his words. "Paid?" she asked softly. "But… I didn't—"
Curtis glanced at her.
"Would you like to be dropped off?"
"No, thank you " she replied, still processing. "I came in my car."
He nodded, then tapped his tablet. The door opened as his assistant stepped in.
"Please see Miss Bennett out," Curtis said.
"And make sure the café is checked on regularly. If they need any assistance, handle it."
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied.
Sophia thanked him, almost absently, and stood. The assistant accompanied her out. She walked out slowly, confused as her thoughts tangled. Before she got in, and drove off, something clicked, just faintly, enough to make her pause.
-----
An hour later
Upper East Side, New York
Kayla sat in her room, scrolling through recent news and updates on her tablet, the glow reflecting faintly off her glasses.
A knock sounded at the door. Sophia stepped in moments later, Annie pausing only long enough to see her inside before quietly leaving.
"Did you meet Mr. Curtis?" Sophia asked, wasting no time.
Kayla didn't look up. "Huh, whom?"
Sophia folded her arms.
"I'm not joking around. Charles Curtis. Did you meet him?"
Kayla sighed, setting the tablet aside on the desk. She removed her glasses and ran a hand through her hair.
"Yeah," she said finally. "I did. Had a few dealings to sort out with him."
Her voice trailed slightly, her thoughts drifting back to the meeting as the room settled into silence.
-~-
Earlier that day
Empire Towers Inc, New York
Charles Curtis walked into his cabin mid-call, relaxed, one hand loosening his tie.
"Okay, babe, I'll be there—"
He stopped.
Kayla was seated on the couch, with one leg crossed over the other, a glass resting loosely in her hand. Maria stood beside her, composed and silent. The air felt… shifted.
Curtis lowered his phone slowly.
"I'll call you back."
He ended the call and straightened, caution slipping into his expression.
"Miss Winsler," he said carefully. "What brings you here?"
He glanced toward the door.
"Daniel, when did she arrive? Was everything taken care of?"
Kayla gestured lightly. "Have a seat, Mr. Curtis."
He did. Her gaze lingered elsewhere as she took a slow sip from her glass, her eyes never lifted to him.
"So. How's business? Running smoothly? Any trouble with funding?"
Her gaze flicked briefly to Maria.
Curtis cleared his throat. "No no, everything's fine. Completely fine."
Kayla nodded once.
"Then I don't quite understand why you're rushing small-scale funding requests."
Her eyes settled back on him steady.
Curtis shifted. "Well, we—"
"If there's an issue," she interrupted calmly, "we can withdraw the contract."
His eyes widened.
"No. That won't be necessary. Everything is under control."
He turned sharply. "Call my assistant. Pull the documents and check the—"
"124 Mercer Street," Kayla said.
The words landed cleanly. Curtis froze, clearly not expecting this.
"I hear you acquired that property," she continued. "Since we don't authorize deals like that, I'm curious why it was purchased using my funding."
His jaw tightened.
"I'll need the land returned," she said, rising to her feet, "along with the full payment."
There was nothing left to discuss. It wasn't a suggestion. She paused, just long enough, then added almost casually,
"And the cafés around there make excellent lattes. I rely on them when work gets stressful."
Her gaze sharpened. "So I'd prefer they not be spoiled."
With that, Kayla turned and walked out, Maria falling into step beside her, leaving Curtis seated in silence.
-~-
Kayla blinked once.
The room came back into focus, the quiet and soft light, Sophia still standing there, waiting. The memory slipped away as quickly as it had surfaced, leaving only the weight of it behind.
She exhaled slowly
"Anyway," she said, steady now, "that's done."
Kayla stepped closer, resting her hands gently on Sophia's shoulders.
"Trust me on this, okay?"
Sophia shook her head slightly, her voice faltering.
"I… I don't know. I don't want to sound like I'm asking too much. I want to handle it on my own." She swallowed.
"I'm so grateful for everything you've done. I just… I don't want to drag you into this."
Her voice broke. Tears slipped free. Kayla didn't hesitate, pulling Sophia into a firm, grounding hug. Sophia's composure collapsed then, sobs breaking through.
"I didn't know what to do…" she cried. "They wanted the settlement in a few days…"
She struggled for breath. "The event… it didn't go well. I felt so useless in front of my sister…"
Kayla held her, saying nothing, letting her speak. Because she needed to, as she'd been holding too much in for too long.
Tears welled in Kayla's own eyes as she listened, the weight of it settling deep. Making her think that people go through far more than what we complain about.
"I wanted to do everything for my family," Sophia whispered. "I still do. I don't want them worried or scared of anything… but I keep failing."
Kayla pulled back just enough to look at her.
"Sometimes things don't go the way we plan," she said softly. "And that's okay. We know you. We understand you. Don't blame yourself for a world that isn't kind."
She paused, firm in her stance.
"And as always, when I need to interfere, I will. I won't wait for you to say it."
She turned slightly and called out,
"Annie...can you bring us something to drink?"
Sophia managed a weak smile. The night stretched on quietly. Sometimes, comfort was all anyone really needed in the end.
-----
A few days later.
11:20 AM — Woodside, Queens
Catherine sat in her car, hands resting on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. Gosh… this is going to get you in so much trouble, she thought.
Then, under her breath, "But here we go."
She stepped out of the car and headed toward a small house across the street. Two uniformed officers stood watch. They weren't there by chance. The woman inside had been flagged as a potential witness, possibly more in a case that hadn't yet made it public. Until the investigation caught up, the department kept eyes on the house.
Catherine approached them calmly, showing her ID.
"The chief asked me to speak with them," she said evenly. "Regarding a few leads."
They exchanged a look. They knew her. And they'd been informed about a possible visit. After a moment, one of them stepped aside and let her through. Catherine released a quiet breath as she passed them. "Whew,"
She murmured, half-relieved as she'd really thought she'd be stopped. She reached the door and rang the bell.
A moment passed.
Then the door opened slowly. A woman appeared in the doorway, mid-forties, cautious eyes meeting Catherine's first before dropping briefly to the badge, as if weighing what this knock might bring.
"Mrs. Lee?"